Coming of Age
by Hakucho
Summary: A special date is coming up, and the daughter of the Shredder knows it. Saki and Karai relationship focus, once more. Character bashing will NOT be tolerated. Please read and review!
1. Chapter 1

Somewhere in the heart of the Land of the Gods, among the thousands who fought for power, a monster was born.

No one knew of his true nature, or where he came from. No one even protested against him as he closed them off from the world, away from the influences of foreign philosophy or the opportunity to escape his iron grip over the lands as his warriors spread across villages and towns; seeking out and destroying those who would dare speak out against him.

In fact, it looked as if no one really wished to do so.

They mainly knew of a living deity, a human being who had united the provinces and domains in a network of peace and bureaucracy. After it seemed that he died, they built the monster a shrine in honour of his departure into the realm of the gods - a reward that could only be given to such a man who used great power, insight and affluence to bring peace after the previous years of fear and pain.

Particularly if these qualities were to secure an empire as the centuries wore on.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside a building amidst the streets of Tokyo, two men in business attire were called to their master's hall. To the ignorant, their striking differences – short and tall, black and white – made them seem somewhat comical as they ascended the stairs to carry out their appointment, walking side by side. And yet, to the knowledgeable, they were part of a force to be reckoned with; should they be crossed and opposed while performing their duties. One could see that immediately, simply by spotting the red crest that sat high on their sleeves. And it was in allegiance to the man behind that crest that they were walking towards the most sacred part of the building, where most would not even dare to enter.

Before they could pass through, two masked guards in wide-rimmed hats crossed their weapons in front of the doors; red eyes looking down at the pair with the usual interrogation.

'Please; we have been summoned to speak with the Master.'

'Provide us with proof that this permission has been granted.' In response, the tall man in white lifted a hand into his coat and brought something out from his inside pocket, holding it face up for them to see. There was a slight hesitation, before a nod of approval was finally given.

'Proceed to enter.' The weapons slid away from the doors and towards the guards' sides as the two men in black and white bowed respectfully before continuing on with their duty. Not everyone was allowed into this sacred room by its owner, and not everyone was permitted to come inside even with such exclusively authorised identification.

Inside this large room – so large that it covered a quarter of the entire ground floor – was the throne of a criminal dynasty. The two men in black and white had learned to harness their fear long ago, and kneeled calmly before their lord as he remained seated at a level above them.

'You summoned for us, Master?' The Head of the Foot clan looked down on them, and began to unveil his plans.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In another part of the building, on a different floor, a young woman was sharpening her skills in combat.

As much as she wouldn't have minded if her father was present to watch her, she knew that she had to do so without a partner or aide; since it would make the purpose of her training useless if she was to move on with what he taught her. Improving on her own was the only proper option, especially as he could drift back to New York at any given time to check on business and legal affairs. It had been like this for some years now, but it didn't mean that he had cut himself out of her life. He would never do that to _her_; his only student and protégé. And it was to honour such a considerate being that she was here today; refining what she learned from him against a lifeless opponent.

Well…that; and perhaps to curb down her own growing excitement at what was to come in three days' time.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The guards stayed still as their master's visitors left the throne room of the Foot clan, ignoring them as they passed by. This wasn't always the case; occasionally guests would never walk out through these doors again, and it was usually the job of the lower ranks to make sure they were removed after the master had personally cut their visit short.

Fairly recently, the leader of a rather subordinate – yet highly regarded by even the civilian public – syndicate had entered through the doors of this room with his men in formal black suits, with an urgent request to speak to the Shredder about possible negotiations in the next few years. The guards were not actually present during the meeting. But it was their duty afterwards to take care of the old man's entourage before returning his head to his widow and now orphaned heir, warning them of what would happen if they dared to make any attempt at vengeance against the Foot.

The guards knew better than to question this. In fact, questioning what the master did would be to challenge the most powerful man they had ever known; the one whose control over thousands and intimate knowledge of the supernatural was worthy of the dedication offered to a deity among men. He was worthy of the dedication and devoted worship of countless others, especially those who focussed their entire lives on achieving a rank almost equal to his… To be even closer to this lord was the greatest honour for a warrior on earth.

Interestingly enough they didn't seem to think to themselves about what he was planning and how it would affect them personally, more than likely in a way in which they had never dreamed.

Author's note:

Remember Shredder's comment about the clan he brought to power with the Sword of Tengu? I thought I'd bring that in, if only briefly…

Thanks to Dierdre, Reijiro and Jessiy Landroiz for beta-reading. )

Foot clan belong to Mirage Comics and 4Kids! Entertainment.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2 – PREPARATIONS

She couldn't sleep.

Recently; this was nothing new for the young woman, what with the knowledge that her father was returning back to New York for an even longer time after next week.

_I'm getting **used** to that!_ her thoughts nagged. _And we do usually keep in touch._

But that wasn't really it. No, that wasn't really why she couldn't put her mind at ease, on this night or the last few nights before. It had more to do with why he would be away for longer. The answer was directly involved with the same event she was looking forward to on Monday. While he would stay on to manage the main operations of their clan in the New York underworld, it would be left to _her_ to take charge of their remaining operations in Japan.

Not just in Tokyo. A whole _country_.

There wasn't any reason why she couldn't handle this…was there? After all, she'd been raised and taught by none other than Oroku Saki himself. But of course, that in itself wasn't without its own complications. She was aware of what it was that made countless others so obedient to him, and that was clearly far from being the same reason as hers. The same one she knew as her sensei and father, they only knew as the Shredder. In his own hands, he held the shifting balance of life and death; more often than not tipping the scales towards the latter with his infamous claws. No one could oppose his orders and still live. And that was where her pain had gradually begun to grow.

Oroku Saki. Her master, her father, the one who made her understand what it was to feel kindness and acceptance. What it felt to learn that she actually had a place in the world as a human being.

The Shredder. The Head of the Foot clan, the most feared being who ever lived, sustained by his victims' screams in the fresh heat of their fear.

And yet, these two beings were one and the same. Even when he wore the cold, intimidating armour that hid away his face, hid away the kind eyes she saw as she grew under his wing, she could still recognise him. The man who was the family she never had. And it was this fact that hurt her most, when she discovered the wrongs that were sanctioned by the Shredder, especially since they made her feel ashamed and angry towards him.

Were these emotions such things a daughter was meant to feel, towards her father? Was it even allowed, for a warrior to experience disgust towards their master?

She thought this over again and again, stretching her feelings of what was proper for a ninja in service to the Shredder when the dilemma resurfaced her mind; and each time, there came a resolution to the problem. But it didn't come from the side that wished to fulfil her duties to her lord. Or, for that matter, the side that just wanted to help her father out of affection and gratitude.

It was both.

The warrior will not become so disloyal as to break off dedication to honour, and the daughter will never love her father less.

She thought back to a memory of when she had a similar problem as a child…

_The two Elite guards greeted their master as he appeared before his throne room. His indifferent gaze regarded them, while they kneeled down deeply out of obligatory respect for the Shredder before then pushing open the doors for his access._

_The entrance had just about closed before he discovered what was waiting for him inside._

'_Why aren't you in your chambers?' The little girl simply bowed from her seated position and looked up at Oroku Saki._

'_I couldn't sleep, Master Oroku.' _

'"_Couldn't _sleep_?"' For anyone else who would dare trespass into this part of the Shredder's stronghold, the only response they would receive was issued at their throats with a single swipe. But instead, the Head of the Foot clan considered this problem for a moment before giving a logical answer._

'_Have you tried the breathing exercises we practised this morning?' She shook her head. By means of a gesture, he held out his hand to escort her back, and the two guards bowed formally while he walked away with his small student down to the hall on the next floor._

'_It would be helpful next time, if you used part of our training in other circumstances, Karai; especially if you're facing difficulty with something such as trying to sleep.'_

'_Yes, Master Oroku.' They had reached the private quarters of the building, where he then slid open the door to a smaller room and lead her in past its walls._

'_Remember: take a deep breath in, and then exhale. I want you to continue on with this until you're no longer awake. Can you do that?'_

'_Yes.' _

'_Good. It is _very_ important that you're fully rested by tomorrow morning.' He began to pull the door back into its place, when she suddenly bowed respectfully._

'_Good night, Master Oroku!'_

'_Good night, Karai.' The door was now rolled closed, and her master was gone._

The young woman didn't think anymore about her situation as she dozed off, finally asleep after following her father's advice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Time remained stagnant, as the Shredder listened to what his subordinate had to say on the progress of the Foot's business in America, his familiar grimace staying unchanged as the report went on.

'…have agreed to back down, Master.'

'Excellent.' He would not accept any challenges to his hold over the city; regardless of how long his rivals had been established there, before he had first arrived. And now on to a more important matter…

'And what of the "other" issue?' They **had** to be in that city; he was sure of it. One way or another.

'Our men are still continuing on with the search for your enemies.' His subordinate replied, humbly. Nothing yet. **Again**. The Head of the Foot clan began to narrow his eyes with the irritation he'd been experiencing for centuries, his frustration habitually releasing itself as a low growl. On the other side of the intercom his American lackey recognised quickly that he had to say something fast, if he wanted to keep himself in his master's good books.

'Master, it's true that we haven't finished covering the entire city floor yet. But I assure you: we, your loyal servants, will not rest until we have succeeded in rooting out your enemies.'

'Good.' These men were expendable, anyway; although the lackey did have some vital use to him if not much, since he had often proven his worth.

'When I return, I expect to see _all_ divisions completely lined up to follow my orders. I will inspect whatever degree of progress has been made so far…and if it is _less_ than satisfactory, the consequences shall be very dire.' It was the drag of his snarl on the last word of that sentence, which shot a ray of panic down the blonde recipient's spine.

'U-understood, Master.'

'Dismissed.' The transmission ended. That was all he needed to hear about his organisation's work in New York for now… the Shredder had only a limited amount of time left, before he would take that private flight back to America.

Until then, he would focus himself on the preparations for a certain event scheduled the day after tomorrow, as well as the ones for afterwards, to ensure everything would run along well. It was extremely important that things went according to his plans, unless the Japanese faction tried to actually retaliate against the upcoming change in regime. And also; it would please him even more to have his personal charge finally join his clan, than it did to have the bulky leader of a street gang do so.

The Shredder stood up from his platform, climbing down to cross towards the personal elevator hidden from view. Normally he didn't need it if he had to attend to matters one or two floors down, but right now he had to conduct urgent business outside that of his usual fare.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A middle-aged woman sat patiently with her young assistant inside the main office of Foot Enterprises. Her nearly white, wavy hair was pinned up neatly in a traditional bun, and she kept her hands folded gently on the lap of her modest grey and white patterned kimono. The front door of the room then opened, as a short man wearing a formal black suit stepped in.

'Oroku-sama will see you, now.'

'Thank you.' She and her companion raised themselves from their seats as Oroku Saki, wearing a Western navy blue suit entered the office, returning the polite gesture when they bowed towards him.

'It is a pleasure to see you again Hondou-san.'

'As it is to speak with you again, Oroku-sama,' the woman graciously replied. 'Only one more day left until Monday, now!'

'Of course.' He gave an appreciative smile as he positioned himself down behind his desk. 'But, hopefully you haven't been _too_ busy these days? If you have to leave shortly I will understand…'

'Oh! No, I'm never too busy to be with a client, especially such a prestigious man as yourself, Oroku-sama.' She settled down to face him, as should any professional businessperson who supplies families' needs for important occasions. Her assistant stayed at a small distance by her side, hands holding a special bundle. The CEO of Foot Enterprises glanced at it, anticipating this item more than continuing on with such tedious chatter.

'How is your daughter keeping, Oroku-sama?' asked the woman. Oroku Saki again had to smile. However annoyed he felt at such prodding questions, it didn't hurt to respond honestly.

'Karai has been doing well, Hondou-san. Although she hasn't said anything, she is clearly looking forward to her ceremony on Monday…as am I.'

'Naturally a father can only be proud to see his child grow into an adult.' She offered, sympathetically.

'Naturally.' He gave a small grin at this remark. He was **very** proud of his daughter...

'Now; on to our preparations!' he said shortly, immediately ending the pleasantries. 'Have you brought what I have requested with you?' She gave a nod, motioning to the young girl on her right to come closer towards their client. Carefully unfolding the bundle onto her client's desk with his expressed permission, she rearranged its components and smoothed over each surface of material to present the full garment that made up a beautifully woven, silken scarlet furisode. Her assistant helped her to stretch out one of the sleeves in order to show off the continuation of the main robe's delicate, gold and dark grey patterns; complimented further by the light red under-kimono and the deep amber obi with its dark brown cord.

'We hope that your daughter will be pleased when she wears this on Monday.' Oroku Saki fingered the fabric, his expression indicating his approval.

'I can assure you that she will, Hondou-san. She will love this very much indeed, once she finally sees it. You have truly outdone yourself.' Arranging for a stunning custom-made furisode was very expensive; most people knew that. But for him, it was nothing to pay the extra yen for such gorgeous garments. Even if it meant that he had to be friendlier than usual when dealing with others. It was not really a strain to make full use of his credibility and financial status, especially to ensure that everything would run perfectly.

Just one more day, and everything would flow as he planned.

Author's note:

_Furisode_ – long-sleeved kimono worn on special occasions by young, unmarried women.

_Obi_ – wide kimono belt. Usually there's a cord to wrap around it.

Well, I think that Saki also had a legitimate front in Japan, as well. Reijiro confirmed for me that businessmen in Japan seem to go for conservative suits instead of hakama, too.

I only own the tailor lady and her assistant in this chapter. Everyone else belongs to Mirage Comics and 4Kids! Entertainment.

Thanks to Jessiy Landroiz, Dierdre and Reijiro for beta-reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**If you pop over to my forum at the Stealthy Stories site, you can find the picture of Karai wearing her furisode that I requested from Rummery, and Redwater's own coloured version of it. HUZZAH! **

**Thanks to Jessiy Landroiz, Reijiro and Dierdre for beta-reading! **

CHAPTER 3 – PREPARATIONS II

Only one day was left for preparations.

Although they had known this day would come, months in advance; it was earlier during the week that they had begun their preparations for Monday, as the master requested of them. What was decided by him was doctrine, and that alone was enough to motivate them into following his orders, regardless of how strange they first seemed. They were hardly members of the esteemed Elite Guard, but they couldn't deny that the thought of serving someone other than the Shredder was almost…_blasphemous_.

Actually, that's what it _would_ be, if they weren't familiar with whom that someone was, and why their allegiance to her was important, although rather ironic. As far back as they could recall; they had endured long and hard in their efforts, to reach the high levels of status they each had achieved within the Foot. It took years to make themselves stand out back then, and it took years for the Shredder to finally notice them enough to promote them to the superior ranks they held now. It was difficult, proving their potential to become something more than mere Foot ninja with little worth in their master's eyes; and even now, despite the power they held, contact with their revered lord was still limited and distant.

Hence, no words could have described the shock the chunin of the Foot clan had received, once they discovered that the Shredder had taken in a student.

In fairness, they had already seen the small girl with their master, some time before they were given the task of uncovering personal details about her identity and whether anyone had alerted the National Police Agency or orphanages about the disappearance of a young girl.

After a good few months of searching thoroughly for information, the two men had found nothing. The child had no mother, who constantly wept for her return; no father, who stressed day and night over where she could be. Not even hospital records, or a date of birth. She had no official existence in society, whatsoever.

The child belonged to no one, and no one seemed willing to accept her.

The chunin didn't appear to expect that this little girl would be changed, from a mere nothing, into one of the most important people they would ever know. However, it became their duty later on, to work secretly with the authorities in creating a new biographical profile for her: her family name, the place where she was born, her supposed mother's identity (and tragic death from labour), her age (an educated guess, at the most) and the placement of the Shredder's name as her father. The latter immediately made them aware of what their master had in store for this small urchin's future, although it could have been their obligation, to remain discrete, which kept them from commenting on the matter.

And besides, it was already surprising that the Head of the Foot clan had chosen to teach the basics of martial arts to _anyone_, let alone a small child.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Back inside the walls of the Foot Headquarters, the young woman was continuing on with her individual training, when the Head of the Foot clan decided to pay a visit during the midst of her practices. Immediately, she stopped what she was doing and kneeled down to show her high esteem to her sensei.

"Good evening, Master." Oroku Saki waved aside the greeting.

"I simply wished to see how you are doing." Ah.

"I am keeping _fine_…my lord." Best not to let him see that she was really trying to divert herself from her anxieties. A true warrior never lets his mind become so distracted by thoughts of the future, that they get in the way of his conduct towards his master.

However, the Shredder already knew that his student was trying to hide something, as she'd appeared to be doing for the past few days.

"Are you looking _forward_ to tomorrow, Karai?" There was an uneasy silence between the two. "You can be open with me…you know there's no need for us to hide secrets from each other." There was a moment's pause before she finally gathered the words to respond, despite the excitement that was beating repeatedly in her head.

"Yes…yes. My mind has been recently focused on what tomorrow will hold for me, Master, when I will become an adult and enter into our clan!" No more than what every child would want. But not every child had to manage operations in an entire _country_, as part of their responsibilities after they came of age.

"I see." _As has mine._ He gave a single nod of acknowledgement. "I trust that you'll do very well as part of our clan, Karai." Her ears pricked up at this sign of reassurance.

"Do you believe so, Master?" This wasn't meant as an affront to his authority, but merely an urgent question made by a pupil to her mentor.

"You have my full support that you will." She bowed her head, respectfully. Ever since she was a little girl, he had always shown her his trust and confidence in her abilities. Even when she made mistakes in practicing kata, he simply watched and guided her through the moves again, carefully, until she could perform them with perfect ease. And now that she would soon be old enough to help him in controlling the Foot…under him, she had made it so far.

"Thank you, my lord." _My father_. He returned her bow slightly, and then left the dojo. After a few minutes had passed, Karai got up to her feet and resumed her training. This time, she finished off by making the usually well-directed, roundhouse strike…and knocked the full body of the practice dummy off the chain from which it hung, standing firm over her immobile opponent with a proud feeling of victory.

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Somewhere among the less industrial parts of Tokyo, there stood a building. It would have seemed more reasonable for it to join other companies and businesses, amongst the skyscrapers and moving masses of the city's urban floor. As one would assume, such a location would enable it to enjoy more profitable earnings, as well as a higher reputation.

But this was not true.

This structure was positioned further away from the ebb and flow of the city, simply as testament to its humble origins during the turn of the Meiji era, when a dynasty fell and the true descendant of the gods was restored to his seat of power.

Some had managed to survive amidst the incredible changes they witnessed and were helpless to stop, as the Land of the Gods became exposed to the backward beliefs and ideals of the accursed world outside it. Proud, strong warriors, previously held by their obedience to great lords, had no choice but to break off from the dedication and honour they previously followed to work alongside former comrades driven by loyalty to money. Even the revolutionaries, the ones who brought on such a change in the name of equality and justice regardless of caste, were given over to the seductive lure of power and adoration from the masses; going as far as to put to death those who had helped their 'cause' to succeed.

The sword itself – the sacred symbol of the Warrior's soul – later became banned from being seen in public, unless the wielder had been offered permission from the new heads of authority who sold their own hearts and minds to the corrupting influences of the Western world.

Although this didn't mean the use of the sword smiths was completely abandoned after the passing of the Swords Ban, such restrictions were not without their repercussions. Quite simply, if some of the former warriors – now known as 'shizoku' – still wanted to maintain any sense of pride in the new era, a number of them did not wish to do so without their most important possession: their blade. Even if it meant that they had to make do with it being concealed in the humble guise of a walking cane, they did not wish to lose their dignity any further. And the remaining sword smiths were prepared to comply with such needs, among other callings for their skills. Just because the soul of the samurai was no longer used in combat, did not mean it could not be displayed as their finest piece of art.

However, not all of them agreed to this. There was one man who did not wish to pander to this charade, regardless of whether he would face arrest or not. There was no necessity for him to produce cane swords instead of katana. He could have attempted some arrangement with a merchant to sell off his works overseas to the many gaijin interested in owning a part of exotic culture in their homes, which could have perhaps earned him more wealth and a higher reputation, than his ancestors dreamed of in the time of the Shogunate. But this was not what he did, since he didn't have that many secure connections with merchants, and his own business skills were shoddy at best. He kept on insisting that he would not waste his time crafting blades for gaijin, the common public, or the people sitting at the head of the country; which they in turn had betrayed. What dignity was there in publicly displaying a soul that could never experience a **true** purpose?

It would have been only a matter of time, before he would be taken away for such anti-social behavior…but a certain man showed up.

The sword smith had never seen him before in his life; he appeared to him via a horse-driven carriage and pressed to speak with him privately at his own mansion. He was about to decline, and repeat the same ranting and raving he made daily, about the new upper-classes of society and how they were nothing but happy dogs, fed and lavished by the leeching government – before he heard that there was actually a way for his work to be put to use _properly_, as was done long before the black ships had arrived.

It was because of the deal that was made between both men, that this small building had enjoyed profitable earnings and funding over the decades and centuries that rolled forth, even during the country's defeat by foreign devils. For every descendant who took over the company, it seemed that they were free from having to pander to the whims of the so-called Divine Being who ruled in the safety of his courts, away from the pain and anger he created among his own subjects.

They had a much better god to serve, and it was for him that they supplied his army with the weapons they needed. Even more so, that the manager had volunteered to work personally on crafting a special blade; ritually fasting and cleansing himself in advance before actually going ahead with the creation process.

As the master sword smith, it was his duty to oversee the purification of the working area, before they could begin with this creation for their sole client. Afterwards, dressed in the ceremonial robes of white, it was his task to supervise the pounding of his assistants' hammers, as he kept his grip onto the stick holding the welded piece of steel at its end. With each change of the metal's shape, it was cut and refolded many times to give it its thinner appearance and add to the several layers necessary for its strength. But this was **not** enough. It needed to be stronger, especially if his esteemed master was to appreciate his demanded offering.

To achieve this, he placed the metal near the heat of the oven, and then thrust it immediately into the cooling water inside the trough close by. Afterwards, the manager set off to sharpen the elongated steel, pressing it with his tools enough to maintain a sense of its intended width and smoothness without grinding _too_ much to wear into the metal. Once this was completed, he picked up his coating stick and painted a spread of clay along the blade, making sure to avoid applying more than enough on certain areas of softer steel.

And then came the crucial stage, before its final completion. Returning to the darkened room that was his workshop, the manager repeated a prayer to himself that had been passed down in his family from father to son, as he lowered the sword into the oven once more and waited until it reached the right degree of heat. Keeping steadfast in his prayer, the man again thrust the blade into the water, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as this occurred. If he took it out too soon – all his efforts, all his dedication would be lost, scarring him forever with the humiliation of failure. But if he did so at the correct moment, he would keep face and not be stripped of his honour.

Upon pulling the sword from the water, the man realized that his personal request for success had been answered.

Soon after, he called upon his trusted co-worker to carry out the other most important task: polishing the sword. Although the stage of re-heating was achieved well, it was this process that caused even more anxieties for the manager, in that paralleling the curves and lines with the jihada – the pattern of the sword's steel grains – required a much greater level of attention, patience and focus that only the polisher was capable of. Hence, he worked cautiously in refining the blade, using his thumb and carefully selected pieces of Narutaki stone to bring out its correct texture.

It was only a matter of time, after continuing on with further stages, including burnishing and polishing its point at an upright angle, that the gift for their master was now finished and prepared with its new scabbard and handle.

The entire process happened throughout the week, up till this Sunday. Sitting down with the weapon in front of him, the man who was master-sword smith and manager of the company behind this creation now calmly anticipated the arrival of two men, who were representing his client (if, apparently, only until tomorrow).

"Has the blade been completed, Toshi-san?" asked the tallest of the pair.

"Yes; the blade that has been requested by our lord is finally complete." The manager lifted his finished masterpiece under his palms, gently placing it into the hands of the taller man. As he did so, he recited another prayer in his heart; offering thanks and praises to the one who was not only his client, but his master appointed by the Heavens. The two men in black and white bowed towards the manager of the Toshi Sword Company.

"Thank you. Our master appreciates your services, Toshi-san." He returned their formality, prostrating graciously and with profound sincerity.

"And my family remains indebted to him, with all our being."

A/N:

Characters belong to Mirage and 4Kids! Entertainment

Toshi Sword Company and this story belongs to me

Traditional sword-making still goes on in Japan, along with the religious rituals that are performed in making them (dating back from the Feudal era). Apparently you could go inside and see how it's done!

Apart from a feature in Usagi Yojimbo (which shows how a sword is made), I read up on the Japanese sword's history and creation process from some essays via the net. I'll link back to them in my profile if you want to check them out :) and the UY story is "Daisho", which features in the graphic novel volume under the same name.

Rurouni Kenshin manga was also an influence for this chapter (set in the Meiji era, and has some historical info to check out :3)

'The true descendant of the gods' – the Emperor, who is believed to be descended from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu. He was apparently also responsible for making Japan join in the second world war, and we know what happened later…

Gaijin – Japanese word for foreigners, and can be used in a very nasty context.

'Black ships' – foreign traders which were American or European. Not only where the foreigners seen as demons, but they were seen as a corrupting force on Feudal Japanese society, as some of them brought over diseases and Christianity (which seemed to have caused political concern for the Shogunate)

I reckon that in order to keep people from probing into whether Karai is legally his daughter or not, he arranged for fake personal information to be created about her (since he took her from the streets and I think it's unlikely there'd be some existing officially recorded stats such as her DoB…maybe he's a good guesser, having lived on earth for ages? shrugs)

Reijiro helped me with some ninja terms for this chapter :)

These are the terms she gave:

_Jonin_ – the leader (like the Shredder)

_Chunin_ – the second-in-command who relays orders between the leader and the lower ranks, and takes care of operations (like Karai was, or, perhaps, her aides before she was initiated)

_Genin_ – which would be the regular Foot ninja, not the Elite or the Mystics


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks to Reijiro, Dierdre and Jessiy Landroiz for beta-reading. I really love you guys!**

**And thanks to BleedMiMi for the gift of the Karai pixel dolls she made for me! w**

**Characters belong to Mirage and 4Kids! Entertainment. **

CHAPTER FOUR – COMING-OF-AGE

January 15th. The second Monday, in the first month, of the new year.

This was a special day across the country, for it was the time that thousands of young men and women were not only celebrating their twentieth birthday, but their new entry into adulthood.

Many attended the local prefectural offices within their areas, to listen to the speeches given by the elected officials congratulating them on this day, repeating the same wish that the new adults would contribute their efforts effectively to the community.

Some of these men and women, however, did not really wish to attend the talks in their smart suits and stunning furisode. Either they watched them as they were broadcast to thousands of homes nationwide, varied from region to region; or they went away after having sat through these useless lectures to engage themselves in much awaited fun and merrymaking with their friends, showing an appreciation for their new freedom as legal, grown citizens. At long last, no one could tell them off for smoking or drinking, as well as other privileges now available to them that weren't before.

But for another family, today was far too important to waste on such trivial matters.

When she woke up, she knew that today had **finally** come. Even if she wanted to deny it - which a very small part of her did, in faint disbelief –nothing would shake away the growing sense of courage in her heart as she steeled herself for what had to be done. She had awaited for this day with tentative anticipation. As time wore on, the prospect of reaching adulthood only grew sharper in her mind, since it meant she would no longer be a teenage girl.

She would become an actual woman, and would thus be seen and treated as one by everyone else around her, including her own sensei.

And even her relationship with **him** was to going to change. She would no longer be his student, but would instead graduate to being one of the ninja in his service; while he would naturally be elevated in her eyes from her mentor to the jonin of her clan. Yet, although it may seem different to the unlearned, in truth it wouldn't be that much different from before: the student's relationship with their sensei is close to that of a warrior and his lord. Ever since he had begun to teach her the way of ninjutsu and the code of servitude in Bushido, she had referred to him as 'Master Oroku', before simply 'Master'.

The reason behind this polite refrain was because she had started to feel the hormonal pains and changes brought on by puberty. Once her regular bleeding had started to take place each month, the path of her impending future was already marked down, setting her up to physically and mentally mature into the person she was soon to become.

For today was the day she would answer her calling as a member of the Foot clan, and take on her obligations to her family.

She already knew that there were no reasons why this should be avoided. When someone comes of age, there are always new roles to take on and new tasks to be fulfilled. And as an adult, it would be grossly irresponsible to try and shirk her duties: only shame and dishonour could be gained from such things. And it wouldn't just fall on oneself, but also onto the parents, who had done what they could to provide for and raise the child to the best of their ability.

The last thing Karai wanted to do was upset or betray her father in carrying out her obligations. Not only would this show that she was incapable of proving herself as a warrior, it would also reveal that she couldn't even be a moderately important asset for him to rely on when need required. Right now, there was no actual guarantee of whether she'd manage to succeed in carrying out her responsibilities. Her initiation into her master's clan was today, and it called for her to set aside her worries and concerns, especially if she was to prove her new level of maturity.

"Mistress Karai..?" came a voice from outside her room, one which she wasn't very familiar with.

"Yes?" she responded, after a slight hesitation. The door was slowly slid open and a small man – one of her master's aides, she realised – appeared, prostrating to her on the ground before sitting up on his knees. Once she saw what was in his lap, folded neatly for her, she politely lowered her head in return.

It had really begun.

Oroku Saki waited inside the main dojo of the Foot Headquarters. He kept the newly crafted sword by his side, as it was to be a very crucial part of his student's coming-of-age ceremony.

Back during the glorious years of his rule over the country, this ritual was known as genpuku, rather than Seijin shiki; it was undergone by young boys who were ready to be made into men at the age of fifteen, once they received their daisho and were assigned their territories. Now, he was no longer in control as the Shogun of the lands. The social environment shifted over time as Japan opened itself up to the world without his consent, and it began to take on various foreign ideas and concepts...even allowing for his enemies to escape _abroad_.

Nonetheless, it didn't mean that _he_ couldn't also **adapt**. There were other venues from which to claim power, other areas to make part of his empire. And, consequently, there were _other_ opportunities to take advantage of.

Today was one of them. Today, his most trusted student would at last join his side; an event which he had been anticipating for some time. A _long_ time, in all fairness. And although there were differences, particularly that his student was female and older than fifteen, the importance of genpuku was still applicable: she would become a warrior and take on new duties, not just as a ninja, but as the chunin – the second-in-command - to the Shredder. No one else was really suited for that position, not even the two men who had held it previously; so long as they kept their vow to remain loyal to his demands through obeying _her_, her place would be secured.

It didn't take too long for his charge to arrive at the large training hall, unaccompanied by anyone. There were reasons why he had chosen to meet with her _here_, instead of his throne room. Among them was the matter of potential interference from other people, such as the Elite Guard. And _they_ were only a concern, because he was well aware that his student was no longer small enough to easily sneak past their watch.

It would merely enrage him, if he found she had to literally fight just to get in. He didn't have any doubt in regards to her fighting skills (who better than the _Shredder_ to know personally his own pupil's combat strengths and stealth?), but it would be an affront to his plans if anything like that had actually happened. The Elite were powerful and efficient enough to prevent unidentified intruders from entering for the most part, which thus led to his decision that their involvement would be grossly unnecessary for today.

And because of his decision, the key part of the long-awaited event would now commence: the receiving of the katana.

Once she saw the new uniform that had been prepared for her, Karai knew that her coming-of-age ceremony had already begun. And when she got a proper look at what she was going to wear – particularly the vest, which was similar to her master's jacket – it served as a reminder of what was to be expected of her in his absence.

As she dressed in the uniform she made sure she did so next to a mirror, in order to check on her overall appearance. Somehow, the reflection seemed strange to her…even though she knew who she was looking at. At least, she _thought_ she knew. It seemed surreal at first that her life would witness such an important turning point today, but she already had accepted her fate and wanted to go through with it properly.

And yet, upon looking at herself in the mirror, she felt…unfamiliar.

That couldn't really be her, could it? There didn't seem to be any proper sign that the person in the reflection was really an important member of the Foot clan, let alone a young woman known as Karai. That was right when an idea came to her mind, leading her to search through the small vanity table in her room.

The red bandanna.

After she'd been left behind in the streets she used to wear one around her head, possibly to look much stronger than she actually was; or perhaps as a simple accessory and nothing more…She couldn't recall which one it was, since her more vivid memories of her life before were of being homeless and abandoned… until the man in hakama appeared. However, despite his own refined tastes and privileged way of living, he had no objections to the thin strip of cloth she wore during their training together; up until it became best for her to practise alone.

Although it had been so integrated into her physical identity, she felt that it was simply a symbol of her younger years and nothing more; a token from the past that was no longer needed. But now it seemed like a very good idea to use it again today, if only to enhance her appearance as a warrior.

And judging by how her reflection now looked in the mirror, a _wise_ idea, at that.

Satisfied, she slid back open the door and left her room, taking care to roll it shut again. Then, she walked confidently down the corridor; going down the staircase and then stopping once she approached the dojo's entrance, adorned with an enlarged crest of the Foot clan.

Right in front of the door were her lord's aides, dressed up for battle. Short and tall, black and purple, they stared at Karai with focused, hardened eyes as they obstructed her way, coming towards her. _What is the_ meaning _of this_? Perhaps he wanted to see if she was really worthy of joining the clan – could that be it? Brushing aside the bewilderment of what seemed to be happening, the young kunoichi then readied herself into a defensive, fighting stance by spreading out her feet and raising her fists. The odds of winning didn't appear to be completely in her favour, since unlike the two ninja present she was unarmed. But there was still some limit to what a warrior could do with their weapons. That was one of the things she learned from Oroku Saki, and if she was to prove that she deserved to join his side in the Foot, then –considering the current situation - it would have to be the principle tactic for her to trust.

The men who were key members of her master's clan advanced boldly and calmly towards her, and she kept her stance firm and ready…but just a few steps away, they stopped and lowered themselves to the ground, while staying propped up on one knee.

"Our master has been waiting for you, Mistress." said the one who wore the purple tunic. He and his smaller, bald companion in the black tunic dipped their heads down in not only allegiance, but a particular degree of respect for the successor who would take on their former role. Feeling a mixture of mild surprise and relief, she relaxed her stance.

Graciously, she rested her arms by her sides and bent herself forward; pleased to find at least **some** support from the warriors she was soon to be leading.

"Thank you." Bowing in reply, the two men stepped aside to allow her to pass through. There was almost a slight moment of nervous hesitation, but it was overcome as the kunoichi rolled away the large door to step inside.

There, at the back, was her master; standing in a manner that seemed to highlight his nobility and wisdom. He looked at her calmly and bowed his head, taking heed of his student's presence. In his hands was a katana, sheathed in an elegant, black scabbard with scarlet diamond patterns. _Her_ katana. Or soon-to-be, at least…_very_ soon.

Long before the abolishment of the samurai caste the eldest sons of each clan were prepared, at a certain age, to honour their families and be made almost equal to their elders. It was at this time in their lives that they were to take on their obligations – their giri – not just as men, but as warriors who were expected to do anything for their master – even **die** fighting for him. Such was the power of this law, that even retainers who had left their daimyo's service remembered it in their hearts, for the rest of their lives.

To ensure success for the new warriors, their elders arranged for them to pay a visit to the patrons of their clan. The kami. Exalted beings, connected with the heavens and the mortal earth, who watched over the residents in the Land of the Gods, offering aid and divine encouragement to their believers. For the purpose of meeting with these beings, the new warriors were dressed in their adult clothes and changed their hair styles, adopting the required chomage, the samurai topknot, to show their positions as proud men, rather than mere, ignorant boys.

Aside from being presentable to the deities whose protection and well-wishes they were seeking, this showed that they had taken into account that they had to leave the naïve comfort and safety of their childhood worlds and accept the harsher, more brutal reality that surrounded them; as well as the consequences it was capable of bringing.

Over time the country's spirituality seemed to dissolve, but the kami remained, if only due to respect and tradition. However, even though the conditions were stretched to the extent that not everyone was actually willing to provide offerings and continuous praise for them, it didn't mean that the environment was too hostile towards them. They instead took on other forms to suit the people's wants and interests; that in turn helped to excuse the amount of apathy to their roles in the land.

So much, perhaps, that one of them actually chose to give exclusive elevation to the subject who was loyal to him for reasons totally unrelated to divinity, rather than the enthusiastic, submissive masses who pursued his power.

The Shredder looked at his charge, as he stood in the dojo with his clan's symbol glaring on the folded screen behind him. As she held her position, patiently and unflinching, he brought forth the katana he had been holding for her, to use during her new role in their clan. Nothing else would carry the same significance as the blade for the warrior's coming-of-age ceremony; not even the mere acquisition of a high title, and he knew this well as he carefully pulled the sword partly out of its sheath to expose it to the new light.

As this happened the Shredder kept his eyes trained on the young woman, kneeling down before him. The katana was more than just a simple weapon to use in the course of combat against rivals...it was a transformation. A reflection of the warrior's soul, from the moment of its creation to the moment of its destruction. It was a medal, to be worn and used wisely without the toils of excess. As the philosophy of Hagakure mentioned, a blade never sheathed could harm the warrior's reputation, as could a blade allowed to become dull inside its scabbard, without much use at all.

As his gaze remained on both the katana and his pupil, he then slid the sword back into its scabbard, easing his grip on the weapon as he lowered it closer towards her. Karai didn't say anything to him while she lifted her hands up from the dojo's floor to receive what was her rightful property. Instead, as she accepted the sword with her hands, she made sure to take a glance at her master's expression to confirm her thoughts and feelings regarding what he had reassured her of, yesterday.

And, without hiding his own emotions whatsoever, he smiled. _I am very pleased with you, Karai._ There was no need to hear this being said; it was enough to actually know it was **there**.

Somewhere in the Land of the Gods, in the building of the Foot Headquarters, there was a strong feeling of pride and gratification to be seen. But it didn't belong to everyone who resided in that building.

It was only meant for two people to feel and, perhaps, to share. Anyone else would have watched the entire thing and frowned grimly at seeing another person join the 'dark side' by entering the Foot clan. But this wasn't the complete truth.

It wasn't just the well-established connection between a ninja and the Shredder that generated this good feeling. It was the happiness between a warrior and her master, on the most important occasion of their lifetime. And right now, there was nothing that could go wrong to take away their personal happiness on this event.

After the young woman had looked up, not even the formal bow that she gave after taking the katana from her sensei's hands seemed enough to describe the truth of her response. _I will _always_ be loyal, my master. Until my inevitable, last breath_.

She wasn't just the new Head of the Japanese faction of the Foot clan, or the second-in-command to the Shredder…she was an adult.

A/N

**A HUGE thank you to Sakan, the owner of the Freak-FREAK Website. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have avoided such an unnecessary mistake in making Karai go through _Seijin shiki_ as well as genpuku in the end, as she told me that the latter held much more importance in its time than the former does today. THANK YOU!**

_Jonin_,_ chunin_ – see note at the end of chapter 3.

_Kunoichi_ – female ninja

Recognising this scene, and the episode it comes from, will get you a biscuit. With chocolate chips, and fudge icing. And those little glacéd cherries, too.

And don't worry; the furisode** hasn't** been forgotten.

Hagakure – written by Yatamoto Tsunetomo in the 17th century. It's regarded today as 'the book of the samurai', although it was originally used by retainers in the Hizen province to which Tsunetomo belonged.

Part of the original quote (from the second chapter) is this:

_If a person has his sword out all the time, he is habitually swinging a naked blade; people will not approach him and he will have no allies._

_If a sword is always sheathed, it will become rusty, the blade will become dull, and people will think as much of its owner._

the kami thing…again, I referred to Usagi Yojimbo (buy this series! You're missing out, I tell you!), in particular the Grasscutter arc where Stan Sakai explains the term kami. I'll show the quote on my profile, for you all.

I did my best with the genpuku scene, as I wanted to stay as close to the show as possible. Thus, there was 'some' elaboration on my behalf.

It has to be confessed: the influence for the style of writing comes from Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods'. And since Saki _seems_ to be seen as a god, by some of his followers…

In Japan, Coming-of-Age day (Seijin no Hi) was on the 15th of January, until 1999. Now it's on the second Monday, in January. I put up both dates, because I'm not sure of Karai's actual age in the show (I'm guessing 25 years old..) Hopefully, I won't be in trouble w ;; the ceremony is Seijin shiki, and is experienced by both young men and women; unlike in Feudal Japan where boys went through genpuku and girls went through mogi (changing of clothes).

_Daisho_ – sword pair, that consisted of a katana and a wakizashi (short sword). Only samurai men were allowed to use these, as they were a sign of their status and caste in Feudal Japan. The women used the spear or naginata (pole arm) to fight with.


End file.
